At Paradise in New Zealand’s South Island – yes, that really is the name of this beautiful place – nature and tourism exist in harmony. Preservation of the environment is a priority. So much so that there’s now no sign that parts of Lord of the Rings was filmed here.

We first visited this area in 2012. In 2014 our son was working as a tour guide leading horseback tours around some of the filming locations. This was the perfect excuse – as if we needed one – for a return visit.